Chicken Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

by Annalise Sandberg on May 17, 2022 (updated Apr 14, 2023)

Chicken broccoli macaroni and cheese is a simple but delicious dinner your whole family will love!

chicken broccoli macaroni and cheese in a skillet with towel

Here’s a new family-favorite weeknight meal! This chicken broccoli macaroni and cheese is an easy homemade recipe that comes together in under 30 minutes.

It’s so rich and cheesy— comfort food at its finest! But the chicken and broccoli bulk this dish up so it’s a more satisfying complete meal. We love it! And I know you will too.

ingredients for chicken broccoli macaroni and cheese

Ingredients you’ll need

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this chicken broccoli macaroni and cheese (full recipe below):

Elbow macaroni noodles, or other short pasta
Broccoli florets
Cooked chicken
Cheddar cheese
Parmesan cheese
Butter
Flour
Milk
Mustard powder
Paprika
Salt and pepper

How to make chicken broccoli macaroni and cheese

Cook noodles. Cook noodles in a pot of generously salted water to al dente according to package instructions (see my tips below for my preferred way to cook pasta).
Cook broccoli. During the last few minutes of the noodles cooking, add the broccoli florets to the pot. Drain noodles and broccoli together.
Make cheese sauce. Prepare the cheese sauce while the noodles (and broccoli) are cooking. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add flour and whisk together for a minute or two. Gradually pour milk into the skillet while whisking constantly to prevent lumps in the sauce. Once combined, increase heat to medium high and bring sauce to a gentle boil to thicken, stirring often. Add salt and pepper, mustard powder and paprika. Once sauce is thickened, stir in cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese.
Combine noodles, broccoli and chicken with cheese sauce. Add drained noodles and broccoli, and chicken to the skillet and stir to combine it with the cheese sauce.

Then, enjoy!

Tips for making this recipe

Instead of adding noodles to a pot of boiling water, add the noodles to a pot of cold water and set over high heat. The noodles will cook as the water heats up, reducing the overall time needed. This is my new favorite way to cook pasta. The only downside is you can’t rely on the cook time given on the package instructions. Noodles are done when they are tender but still have a bite to them, called al dente.
If you start making the noodles in a pot of cold water and the cheese sauce at the same time, they should roughly be done at the same time.
Use rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken, and both breast or dark meat are delicious options. You can also substitute other protein such as shrimp or tofu, or leave it out altogether per your preference.
I have an entire post on how to cook bulk chicken for recipes such as this.
Whole milk will have the best flavor, but 2% and 1% will work too.
This recipe also works as a baked macaroni and cheese, making it possible to prep ahead of time. Once dish is complete, pour into a greased casserole dish and cover with foil. Store in the fridge for up to several days and warm in a 350°F oven for 30-40 minutes until heated through.

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originally published on May 17, 2022 (last updated Apr 14, 2023)